The latest Destiny 2 update brings just a couple of small changes, along with decorating the Tower in red for the Crimson Days event. Hotfix 1.1.2.1 removes the Lost Sector throttle that was a quick fix for a previous exploit, now making it so that players can only open one Lost Sector chest per boss defeated. Here are the very brief patch notes.

With the big end-of-month patch only two weeks away, we’re likely to get additional details from Bungie soon on what exactly they’ve been able to cram into the coming Destiny 2 update. Today’s small fix is only a bandage, where the major updates will do surgery to change the game.

While Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom was delayed until March 23, 2018 that doesn’t mean we’re not getting new information. Bandai Namco just released an interesting new video showing off the game’s original soundtrack. The three minute video is a great look at what you can expect from Joe Hisaishi and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Check out the newly released Ni no Kuni II soundtrack trailer below:

If you want even more information on Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, you can always check our E3 preview:

Every so often a truly unique gem rises above the rest of the games, and some of these titles are strong enough to shine long far beyond their release year. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is one such game, having landed as our RPG of the year in 2013 in spite of it being an English port of the Japanese version that released in 2011. That’s right, it was that good. Ni no Kuni meshes stunning Studio Ghibli style art with some of the best JRPG mechanics to create one of the few games that I was ever sad to get a Platinum on, just because the adventure had come to an end.

The announcement of Ni no Kuni 2 has me back on the edge of my seat and E3 2017 finally gave me a chance to go hands-on with it, if only for a brief period. Once again, Level 5 is blurring the line between interactivity and animation. Headed by an all-star development team straight from Studio Ghibli, and the same team that made the first game, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is in good hands.

NBA Live 18 update 1.11 is now available to download. Digital ballers will be glad to know that several gameplay tweaks have been made. This includes how inside shots work, and anklebreaking. Additionally, the game has seen a large All-Star update.

Check out the NBA Live 18 update 1.11 patch notes below:

Inside Shot Tuning:Tuned the distance of what makes a shot “contested” near the rim. End result is a reduced success rate for contested shots at the rim.

Anklebreaker Tuning:Fixed an issue where a second off ball defender could get their ankles broken. Also, reduced the chance of anklebreakers for the onball defender.

Playstyle Improvements

Reduced by 1, Max Bonus Increased, and scale was adjusted to allow a more beneficial boost on your first stack

Break it Down (Slasher)

Give & Take (Point Shooter)

Hot in the Post (Post Anchor)

Board and Fire (Stretch Big)

3&D (Backcourt Defender)

Playmaker Sig Ability adjustment

Increased your ability to score (with sig ability)

Slight increase to your ability to boost a teammate with your pass

Two Way Impact (Hybrid Wing)

Increased Bonuses

Gameplay Trait Improvements

Quick Recovery was fixed, all forms of ankle breakers in both dribble moves should no longer play on you if the trait is equipped

Catch & Shoot Bonus reduced

Corner Three Bonus Increased

Early Release Bonus Increased

Late Release Bonus Increased

Skill Trait Improvements

Set Base Skill Scale for Bronze/Silver/Gold traits from a 72/74/80 rating to a 72/76/82 rating

MLB The Show 18 is shaping up to be a big year for Sony’s yearly baseball game. The game will feature a revamped Road to the Show mode, a “major gameplay engine tune up,” and a new player tagging system. The game itself looks quite impressive, and there are over 1,000 new gameplay animations that’ll be in the March 27, 2018 release. Now Sony has detailed another feature, the game’s batting stance creator.

Check out the MLB The Show 18 batting stance creator video below:

Here’s what Sony had to announce about the upcoming MLB The Show 18 features (via the PlayStation Blog):

This year we’re bringing back Road to the Show, Diamond Dynasty, Battle Royale, Conquest, and Franchise Mode, and will have a major gameplay engine tune up among other features.

Baseball is a game of details. At its core there’s pitching, hitting, catching, throwing, and tagging. All of those areas of the game have received major development resources this year. Below are a few changes we’ve revealed in our trailer:

Mountains has been an interesting studio to watch as their team has some serious industry street cred- Particularly with their involvement in both Monument Valley [$3.99] and Cuphead. Backed by Annapurna, it seemed like Mountains had the luxury to release anything they wanted. What they decided on was an interactive love story and after waiting what feels like an eternity, Florence [$2.99] is finally here. Florence is a tricky game to review, as it’s the sort of project that invokes all those annoying arguments surrounding what is and isn’t a game. (I’m not sure it’s possible to lose, it’s fairly difficult to not progress, and you can “beat” it in 30 minutes.) I think a better lens to examine Florence through is not as a game, but rather, as a really clever evolution of a visual novel. In that respect, Florence succeeds on a level that’s really just sort of absurd.

The game, or visual novel, or interactive experience, or whatever we want to call Florence starts off with a day in the life of Florence, who lives a pretty boring adult life. It’s fascinating what a good job Florence does at driving home monotony, in fact, that’s really the magic of the whole thing- Through these individual micro-games Florence manages to flawlessly convey that emotion. For instance, one of the first things you do is wake up and brush your teeth.

To wake up, you tap your alarm clock, snooze a bit, tap it again, then the game transitions to the bathroom where you’re rubbing the screen back and forth to fill up a bar for how long you need to brush your teeth. Not long after that you’re riding public transit on the way to work, and the game has you mindlessly liking and retweeting a faux-Instagram sort of thing. Then, at work, you play a number matching game as Florence does her accounting work. It seems intentionally dull, and does a great job of mirroring what it feels like when your days just sort of melt away doing the same monotonous things over and over.

Eventually, Florence’s phone runs out of batteries, her music cuts out, and she hears something playing in the distance. It turns out to be Krish, who quickly becomes Florence’s new love interest. From there, it’s straight up weird how good of a job Florence does at capturing exactly what a new relationship feels like. You go out on your first date with Krish, and to have your first conversation you’re putting together jigsaw puzzle pieces to form full speech bubbles. Initially these puzzles are complicated, with a bunch of pieces that you need to put together. As the date progresses, they get easier and easier until they’re not even a puzzle at all- Really mimicking what a great first date feels like, when by the end of the night everything is just easy and comfortable.

Florence is a short experience. As mentioned, it took me about 30 minutes to play through it, so I really don’t want to spoil many more of the things you’ll do as interacting with these different set pieces is a big part of the whole thing. I’ll share my favorite moment though: When you eventually move in together, the game has you deciding where your stuff is going to go. The micro-game couldn’t be more basic, but the feelings it conjures of deciding what stuff comes out, what stuff gets put away, what might be important, what might not be, and whose things get put into storage to make room was so unbelievably spot on it’s eerie.

That’s just sort of how Florence goes.

I really like to avoid wishy washy conclusions in reviews, but Florence is a hard one. If you were waiting for Mountains to release the next Monument Valley gamer-y game, you should probably steer clear of Florence. You’ll blow through the game quickly, and likely be left with a “That’s it?” sort of reaction. Different strokes for different folks and all, but for me, Florence is going in the same mental folder as games like Reigns [$2.99] which I seem to just be constantly recommending to non-gamer friends of mine.

Experience-centric games like That Dragon, Cancer [$4.99], Gone Home and others have found massive audiences of people who love the experimental side of gaming that focuses more on conveying emotions than they do high scores. If those are the sorts of things you’re into, chances are you’re going to wish Florence didn’t end so soon.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and since it’s the season of finding that special someone, Fair Play Labs has revealed a brand new trailer for their upcoming game Super Seducer. In case you’re unaware, Super Seducer is made in conjunction with Richard La Ruina, self-described “most successful pick-up artist,” and is designed to help players learn pick-up techniques.

The game is currently set to launch on March 6 for PlayStation 4, PC, and Mac, and will run players $19.99. According to the developers, the game will be designed by and starring La Ruina, the author of “The Natural: How to Effortlessly Approach The Women You Want.” In the game, which is described as a “mature, non-nudity FMV game,” will see players experience ten different live-action episodes that mirror realistic social scenarios, including “how to score a date with a beautiful lady at a park or in a bar, how to turn a friend into a girlfriend and even how to tactfully pursue an office romance.” The game is set to feature eight hours of video footage, have 520 choices in the game and also feature multiple endings.

For more on Super Seducer, make sure to check out some of the features found within the game below:

Where the Mood Strikes – Practice seduction skills across ten different live-action episodes that mirror realistic social scenarios and setting – the bar, park, club, coffee shop and more.

Casanova – Charm your way to getting those sweet digits like a pro by using tried and true pick-up artist methods.

Pick-Up Artistry – Learn and experience proper seduction tactics from the master himself, Richard La Ruina, Europe’s top pick-up artist and published author of “The Natural: How to Effortlessly Approach The Women You Want.”

House Bill 2686 and Senate Bill 3024 would prohibit the sale of any game that features a system where players can purchase a random reward using real money to anyone under the age of 21. For context, age restrictions on M-rated games and R-rated movies are not currently legally enforceable. Both are industry mandated restrictions set up by regulatory bodies within their respective industries (the ESRB and the MPAA), but an individual doesn’t face legal punishment for being underage and buying, viewing, or playing R and M-rated content.

House Bill 2727 and Senate Bill 3025 would require developers and publishers to prominently label games containing randomized purchase systems and disclose odds and probability of getting any particular item through that system. This pair of bills is the one that is far more likely to have success. You can bet that industry representatives, publishers, and their legal teams are getting ready to fight against the proposed legislation. The water is particularly muddy on the age restriction bills, as (most) loot boxes don’t have a monetary end reward (all value is determined purely in-game) and there are a number of arguments to be made about video games’ first amendment rights as works of art that could shut down attempts to impose legally binding restrictions on their sale.

Whatever the result of these bills, they are sure to have a far reaching impact across the industry, setting precedents for the likes of mobile titles that rely on microtransactions and loot box mechanics, and full featured console games that employ loot box strategies. Don’t expect the verdict anytime soon though. The process of creating, ratifying, amending, resubmitting, and finally getting a bill signed into law is a long one, and chances are numerous things could change within that time. The above proposed legislation is also only for the state of Hawaii, however, their success could become a precedent for other state laws or even federal regulation governing video game and loot box purchases in the United States.

The success of Horizon Zero Dawn continues on into 2018, as the video game has recently been recognized with the Writers Guild Award for best video game writing. The game beat out the likes of some other games, including Dishonored: Death of the Outside, Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow, and Madden NFL 18: Longshot.

Accepting the award on behalf of the writing team at Guerrilla Games, Narrative Director John Gonzalez and Lead Writer Benjamin McCaw thanked the writers for telling the story, and of course revealed their love of writing as well. “As writers who care deeply about the craft of telling stories, it’s incredibly exciting for us to be receiving this award in the company of so many other writers whose work we admire and appreciate,” said Gonzalez (via GamesIndustry.biz).

After accepting the award, Gonzalez made sure to dedicate the award to two specific women who were unfortunately not around to see the team win: the pairs mother’s Ann Gonzalez and Susan McCaw. “It is no coincidence that their sons went on to write an epic with a strong female protagonist in which human love in general, and maternal love in particular loomed so large. We learned that from them. This is for them. Thank you, they are not forgotten.”

Horizon Zero Dawn is an early contender for game of the year. Guerrilla Games has outdone themselves, in astounding fashion. This is a glorious game, the result of a team of masterful artisans who not only had a story that they wished to tell, but a world that was living inside of them which they wanted to share with us all. Now, we get to play inside their creation, and it is a breathtaking experience to behold. A massive, open world filled with equally massive, terrifying robots, juxtaposed against the beauty of the Earth, nature fighting back the darkness as it tends to do. Horizon Zero Dawn is the kind of game you play to get lost in, and can be enjoyed by players of all types. This could be the beginning of a stellar franchise, and there is something for everyone here. If you own a PS4, you owe it to yourself to give Horizon Zero Dawn a go.

Overwatch update 2.33 is now available to download. The patch features balance changes to Lúcio , and fixes several bugs. It’s out now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Check out the Overwatch update 2.33 patch notes:

HERO UPDATES

Lúcio

Wall Ride

Activating Wall Ride will now cause the flag to drop during Capture the Flag matches

Developer Comments:Lúcio’s Wall Ride allowed him to reach unintended places in Capture the Flag maps, which made it overly difficult for opponents to stop him. So, we have changed the ability to cause the flag to drop instead for better balanced matches.

BUG FIXES

General

Fixed a typo that caused the Lunar New Year banner to display the wrong end date for Overwatch Lunar New Year

Fixed a bug that sometimes caused the client to crash after a player used the Hero Skin Selection dropdown menu in Hero Select

Capture the Flag

Fixed a bug that allowed Winston to pick up the flag while airborne after activating his Jump Pack

Fixed a bug that caused flags dropped near ceilings to get stuck inside of walls

Deathmatch

Fixed a bug that caused Mei to levitate if she used Cryo-stasis

Game Browser and Custom Games

Fixed a bug that prevented players from playing games in the Arcade if they were using a trial account

Heroes

Fixed a bug that caused hero ultimate charges to reset after the first death if a player changed their skin using the Hero Skin Selection a second before the match began

Fixed a bug that caused Zarya’s reaction animations to loop continuously after taking damage following the destruction of her Particle Barrier

UI

Fixed a bug that prevented the Weekly Rewards timer in from displaying correctly in the Arcade

Kingdom Come: Deliverance officially released today, and with it came many complaints from players about various bugs and glitches they’ve found in the game. In an effort to calm players, Creative Director Daniel Vávra took to Twitter to announce that Warhorse Studios was hard at work on creating some fixes for the game.

Hello guys, we are aware about the bugs that could happen and working hard on fixing them. Steam has latest patch already, console owners will get this patch (1.0.3 for PS4, 1.0.0.118 Xbox) ASAP. PS4 patches 1.0.1 & 1.0.2 are the same, the difference is only in territory. 1/1 pic.twitter.com/6w0f0vCiKJ

According to Vávra, the PC version of the game already has a patch on the way, with console owners getting it as soon as possible. Another patch is also planned for release in approximately 2 weeks, and will address even more of the problems that players have found in the game. It’s never great when a game launches with bugs, of course, but it is nice to see the developers taking such a quick approach to fixing them.

For more on the upcoming Kingdom Come: Deliverance, make sure to check out a brief description of the game below:

About Kingdom Come: Deliverance:Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a story-driven open-world RPG that immerses you in an epic adventure in the Holy Roman Empire. Avenge your parents’ death as you battle invading forces, go on game-changing quests, and make influential choices. Explore majestic castles, deep forests, thriving villages and countless other realistic settings in medieval Bohemia!